Specimen receiver and container



March 9, 1965 D. E. LANGE 3,172,130

' SPECIMEN RECEIVER AND CONTAINER Filed May 28, 1962 INVENTOR. DARRYL E. LANGE ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,1?Z,l30 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 3,172,130 SPECIMEN REQIEIVER AND QONTAINER Darryl E. Lange, 1837 W. Juanita Ave, San Dimas, Calif. Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,369 Claims. (Cl. 4-410) The present invention relates generally to an improved urine specimen receiver and container; more particularly, the invention relates to a urine specimen receiver and container adapted for receiving, containing, and transporting a urine specimen from a human female.

A long-existing problem in the medical field has been that of providing an etficient, appropriate receiver and container for feminine urine specimens, in view of the peculiar and particular problems involved, which include inconvenience, nuisance, specimen contamination, trans mission of bacteria, and unsanitary contact of specimens with the hands of donors or holders of receptacles.

Various feminine urine specimen receivers and containers have been subject to some, most or all of a number of shortcomings or deficiencies. Among the shortcomings is the fact that small input openings or mouths have often made it difficult to admit a urine stream without spilling outside the container. Some containers, such as paper cups, bed pans or emesis basins, present difficulties in receiving a specimen stream without splashing or other unsanitary or uncomfortable occurrences. G l-ass bottles are subject to breakage in shipping and use. Ordinarily, no convenient means, such as a spout, have been provided for pouring a portion or sample of the specimen into other containers, such as those used in laboratory testing. Some prior devices have been relatively expensive and therefore not disposable. Prior devices have generally provided no means for positioning of the hand of a donor or holder of a receptacle in a position removed from the specimen stream to prevent contamination of the specimen and/or unsanitary or uncomfortable contact of the specimen with the hand. Of course, specimen contamination results in inaccurate analyses or false impressions when the specimen is subject to bacteriological analyses.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a specimen receiver and container which overcomes the foregoing deficiencies and shortcomings and which provides the advantages hereinafter outlined.

An object of this invention is the provision of a feminine urine specimen receiver and container which has a particular configuration and a large inlet opening to facilitate positioning relative to the female anatomy for the receiving of a specimen in such manner as to overcome the prior art disadvantages and short-comings attendant upon the receiving of such a specimen.

An object of the invention is to provide a receiver and container according to the foregoing object which is closable to prevent spillage or leakage during handling and transporting.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a urine specimen receiver and container wherein a cover, in addition to being closable to prevent spillage or leakage, is positionable as a handle during the receiving of a specimen in such manner that the donors or holders hand is positioned to avoid contact with the urine.

An object of the invention is the provision of a receiver and container according to any or all of the foregoing objects wherein the configuration embodies an integral pouring spout which facilitates transfer of the specimen to other vessels.

An object of this invention is the provision of a urine specimen receiver, according to any or all of the foregoing objects, having a tapered configuration which adapts it for positioning in a most advantageous manner relative to the body of a human female for receiving the specimen, while providing a large opening and a relatively large rear wall for receiving and collecting the urine specimen without splashing or spillage and without contact of the urine with the hand of a holder or the outside of the receiver.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a receiver and container according to the foregoing object, wherein a cover with a tapered portion fits a tapered portion of the receiver, the cover in its open position serving as a handle for positioning the donors hand to avoid contact with the urine.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a receiver and container, according to any or all of the foregoing objects, which is fabricated of relatively inexpensive material, preferably a plastic, and which is disposable after use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those versed in the art from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of the urine specimen receiver and container of the invention held in operative position in the hand of a donor;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view of the receiver and container of FIGURE 1, showing the cover thereof in a closed position, the cover being shown in an open position in phantom outline;

FIGURE 3 is a partial elevational sectional view illustrating a typical deflection angle of a projected stream of urine specimen;

FIGURE 4 is an end view, partially in section of the specimen receiver and container of FIGURES 1 through 3; and

FIGURE Sis a bottom view of the specimen receiver and container of FIGURES 1 through 4.

Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the specimen receiver and container of the invention is shown in FIGURE 1. The container includes a vessel 10 of generally triangular configuration with an open top about which a peripheral flange 12 extends. The container tapers from a wide rear portion to a relatively narrow front end port-ion 14. Three side walls 16, 18, 20 taper inwardly and the container has a relatively small triangular flat bottom 22, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5. The bottom is recessed inwardly, as indicated at 26 (FIGURE 2), thereby defining a peripheral bottom head or rib 28 which provides reinforcement. The receiver or container is preferably fabricated of relatively inexpensive non-breakable plastic, such as polyvinyl, in order that it may be disposable after use.

A cover 32 has the triangular configuration of the opening of the vessel 10. A peripheral rim portion 34 of the cover is configurated to define an inner recess or groove 36, and is adapted to be snapped or force-fitted about the flange 12 of the vessel, as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 4. Lugs 38, 40 extend downwardly to form a yoke and are pivoted or journaled on a hinge pin 42 which extends through a lug 44 on rear wall 18 of the container. The lugs 38, 40 are configurated to engage the exterior surface of rear wall 18 (as best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3) in order to retain the cover substantially in the open position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, whereby it provides a handle for the manual holding of the receiver.

In the use of the receiver and container of the invention, the tapered or triangular configuration makes possible the positioning of the receiver relative to the female genital organs so that the specimen stream may be received in the container without splashing. The large top opening and the inclined walls 16, 18, 20 0f the receiver make possible the receiving of a diverging specimen stream, without splashing or spilling. The inclined walls receive the stream and deflect it downwardly into the container, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 3. The wide rear wall 18 provides a large receiving area or target area which deflects a diverting stream into the container, this being an important feature, because a urine specimen stream from a female is not subject to accurate directional control, and is not a dense concentrated stream, but rather is a diverging one requiring particular means for achieving the desired objectives hereinbefore mentioned.

As shown in FIGURE 1 and as hereinbefore described, the cover 32 in its open position serves as a handle. The triangular shape of the cover-handle is convenient for manual holding. In grasping the cover-handle, the hand of a donor or other holder of the specimen receiver is positioned remotely relative to the urine stream, and contact of the urine with the hand may thereby be avoided.

With the cover in its closed position, shown in FIG- URES 2 and 4, the snap or force fit of the rim portion 34 of the cover about the peripheral flange 12 of the vessel provides a substantially leak-proof container, which serves to prevent leakage or spilling during handling or transporting.

The narrow tapered front end portion 14 of the container defines an integral spout for the pouring or trans ferring of the specimen or portions thereof to other vessels or containers, as for clinical or laboratory analyses.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the structure and configuration provided by the invention provide multiple correlated advantages in that a large opening is provided for receiving the specimen, inclined walls deflect the specimen into the container, the large rear wall provides a large area for accepting the specimen stream, the narrow forward end portion provides an integral pouring spout, and the triangular cover, in addition to being configurated to close about the top, provides a convenient configuration for functioning as a handle.

From the foregoing description, those versed in the art will appreciate that the invention achieves the objects and realizes the advantages hereinbefore mentioned.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood that the same is merely exemplary of presently preferred embodiments capable of attaining the objects and advantages hereinbefore mentioned, and that the invention is not limited thereto; variations will be readily apparent to those versed in the art, and the invention is entitled to the broadest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.

The inventor claims:

1. A feminine urine specimen receiver and container comprising a three-sided vessel having a tapered configuration defining a narrow tapered forward portion for positioning relative to the female anatomy to receive the specimen, said vessel having a substantially open top to provide a large opening to facilitate the receiving of the specimen from the female, said tapered configuration providing a relatively wide rear wall inclined inwardly toward the bottom of the vessel, to facilitate receiving a relatively inaccurately directed stream of the specimen, and cover means connected with the vessel and positionable for manual grasping during the receiving of said specimen, said cover means being adapted to close said opening to retain the specimen.

2. A feminine urine specimen receiver and container comprising a vessel having a tapered configuration defining a narrow tapered forward portion for positioning relative to the female anatomy for receiving the specimen, said vessel having a substantially open top to provide a large opening to facilitate receiving the specimen from the female, said tapered configuration providing a relatively wide fiat rear wall inclined inwardly toward the bottom of the vessel to facilitate receiving a relatively inaccurately directed stream of the specimen, and handlecover means extensible to an open position for manual grasping during the receiving of the specimen, said handlecover means being closable about said opening in fluidtight relationship to retain the specimen.

3. A feminine urine specimen receiver and container comprising a vessel having a narrow tapered forward portion comprising inwardly inclined side walls inclined inwardly from the top to facilitate positioning relative to the female anatomy for receiving the specimen, said vessel having an open top to provide a large opening to receive said specimen, a relatively wide inwardly inclined rear wall of the vessel inclined inwardly toward the bottom of the vessel for deflecting a relatively inaccurately directed stream of said specimen toward the bottom of the vessel, and handle means for manually holding and transporting the container.

4-. A feminine urine specimen receiver and container comprising a vessel having a narrow tapered forward portion to facilitate positioning relative to the female anatomy for receiving the'specimen, said vessel having an open top to provide a large opening to receive said specimen, a relatively wide flat inwardly and downwardly tapering rear wall of the vessel for deflecting a relatively inaccurately directed stream of said specimen toward the bottom of the vessel, inwardly and downwardly tapering side walls of the vessel for deflecting said specimen stream toward the bottom of the vessel, a fiat triangular bottom wall, and handle means for manually holding and transporting the container.

5. A urine specimen receiver and container for human females, comprising a generally triangular vessel having a narrowed front apex portion to facilitate positioning relative to the female anatomy for receiving a stream of said specimen, said vessel having a triangular top opening, a relatively wide inwardly and downwardly tapering rear wall and inwardly and downwardly tapering side walls of the vessel to deflect the urine stream toward the bottom of the container, a relatively small triangular bottom, and a generally triangular-shaped cover hinged to said rear wall and adapted to cover said top opening to retain the specimen, said cover being movable about its hinge to extend rearwardly and upwardly to serve as a handle for the manual holding of the container during the receiving of the specimen with the hand remote from said specimen stream.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 145,344 Garnsey Dec. 9, 1873 1,202,148 Bartlett Oct. 24, 1916 1,928,170 Dwork Sept. 26, 1933 2,009,123 Robinson July 23, 1935 2,167,111 Hamilton July 25, 1939 2,765,949 Hillman Oct. 9, 1956 2,852,054 Motley Sept. 16, 1958 2,988,752 Wyne June 20, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 552,353 Belgium Nov. 30, 1956 

1. A FEMININE URING SPECIMEN RECEIVER AND CONTAINER COMPRISING A THREE-SIDED VESSEL HAVING A TAPERED CONFIGURATION DEFINING A NARROW TAPERED FORWARD PORTION FOR POSITIONING RELATIVE TO THE FEMALE ANATOMY TO RECEIVE THE SPECIMEN, SAID VESSEL HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN TOP TO PROVIDE A LARGE OPENING TO FACILITATE THE RECEIVING OF THE SPECIMEN FROM THE FEMALE, SAID TAPERED CONFIGURATION PROVIDING A RELATIVELY WIDE REAR WALL INCLINED INWARDLY TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF THE VESSEL, TO FACILITATE RECEIVING A RELATIVELY INACCURATELY DIRECTED STREAM OF HE SPECIMEN, AND COVER MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE VESSEL AND POSITIONABLE FOR MANUAL GRASPING DURING THE RECEIVING OF SAID SPECIMEN, SAID COVER MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO CLOSE SAID OPENING TO RETAIN THE SPECIMEN. 